April, 2022

• 25 April

  For France, EU, Macron’s win is an opportunity

  

  In 2017, France bucked the populist trend by voting for Emmanuel Macron against europhobic Marine Le Pen. In 2022, it has done so again – just as Slovenia looks set to eject its nationalist leader. An overwhelming display of pro-EU values? Not quite. Macron’s lead is narrower than last time — around 58%, rather than 66% — and turnout was ...

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• 25 April

  Can Netflix compete with real world?

  

  The streaming wars took a savage turn this past week. Netflix’s earnings report disappointed investors. CNN+ dropped out of the game entirely, just a month after launching. The result has been a wave of brutal selloffs, making Netflix the worst-performing member of the S&P 500 this year to date. A decade of seemingly perpetual growth came to a halt with ...

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• 25 April

  British property market appears in great shape

    T he UK property market appears in great shape. The Nationwide House Price Index has gained 14% over the past year and rents are rising fast. Supply is tight and borrowing costs remain low despite recent rate increases by the Bank of England (BOE). Something, though, is not quite right — and people in a position to know are ...

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• 25 April

  Want green energy? Then just cut red tape

  No one can doubt President Joe Biden’s commitment to clean energy. Unfortunately, his agenda faces a challenge rarely mentioned by climate activists: excessive regulation. A report from the National Academies of Sciences found that if the US wants to reach net-zero emissions by midcentury, it will need to roughly double the share of electricity it produces from non-carbon sources by ...

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• 25 April

  Garuda Indonesia mulls rights issue, investors as it rebuilds

  

  Bloomberg Distressed flag carrier PT Garuda Indonesia plans to undertake a rights issue to raise additional capital and will invite strategic investors to take part as it attempts to revive its ailing business. The airline expects to launch the equity issue after the Indonesian government makes good upon its plan to inject the carrier with fresh funds, Finance Director Prasetio ...

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• 25 April

  UK retailer warns of stock wipeout amid funding talks

  

    Bloomberg UK convenience store operator McColl’s Retail Group Plc said it is in talks on a financing deal to save the company, but warned shareholders that they face wipeout even if a pact is reached. The stock plunged 55%. “A potential financing solution is under active discussion with its key commercial partner and lenders which would resolve the short ...

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• 25 April

  Copters to East Hampton cost 30% more in new rule

  

    Bloomberg New Yorkers looking to fly into the East Hampton Airport this summer will still be able to — but there will be fewer flights, and it’ll be costly. Blade Air Mobility Inc expects 60% of its typical volume to be diverted to neighbouring towns of Montauk, Southampton and Sag Harbor, according to the New York-based company. That’s because ...

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• 25 April

  Kering falls after lockdowns in China weigh on Gucci sales

    Bloomberg Kering SA shares tumbled after growth at Gucci, its biggest brand, missed estimates in the first quarter, hindered by lockdowns in China. Sales at Gucci, which generated more than half of Kering’s revenue in the period, rose about 13% on a comparable basis, the Paris-based company said. Analysts had predicted a gain of almost 19%. The stock fell ...

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• 25 April

  Travel searches for S’pore pick up as curbs eased

   Bloomberg More people are looking to travel to Singapore as the city-state eases virus rules. Travel-related searches on Google for the island destination have jumped, particularly from neighboring Malaysia, as well as Indonesia, India and Australia, according to data tracked by economists at Maybank Investment Bank Bhd. Singapore has led other Southeast Asian nations in scrapping pandemic travel curbs after ...

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• 25 April

  US aims to weaken Russia in Ukraine, Austin says in Kyiv

  

  Bloomberg The US announced additional military aid for Ukraine as Defense Secretary said that Washington wants to see Russian forces ground down so they can’t attempt a repeat of the war. Speaking to reporters in Kyiv during the highest-level US visit to Ukraine since Russia invaded two months ago, Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken committed a total of ...

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